Field Day Podcast with Jordan Hoewischer: Ep. 46 Jay Martin
Jay Martin discusses his Pilot Watershed Project in the Western Lake Erie Basin. He is a professor of Ecological Engineering at The Ohio State University.
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Experts are monitoring the severity of this season’s algal bloom in The Western Lake Erie Basin.
As more research is being conducted about the various causes of the blue-green waters of the shallowest Great Lake and results of farm conservation programs are showing positive trends, there are still many questions unanswered when it comes to the annual challenges of water quality in Lake Erie.
Field Day podcast: Legacy phosphorus series
One of the culprits of the bloom, legacy phosphorus, is highlighted in a new series of Field Day podcasts, produced by Ohio Farm Bureau. Legacy phosphorus accumulates in soils and sediments due to past human activities, especially from agricultural fertilization and manure applications. This accumulated phosphorus can lead to persistent water quality degradation, even after changes in current fertilization practices.
The Field Day podcast series includes guests from the USDA Agricultural Research Service, Ohio Department of Agriculture, The Ohio State University and the University of Illinois and will focus on topics ranging from the age of phosphorus leaving farm fields, research on phosphorus hot spots, soil test levels of H2Ohio enrolled acres, trends for Dissolved Reactive Phosphorus in the Western Lake Erie Basin and the role that streambank erosion plays in phosphorus loading.
OACI: Conservation initiatives are working
On the heels of the Ohio Agriculture Conservation Initiative’s survey report on the Sandusky Watershed, OACI conducted a randomized sampling of 384 crop production fields within the Upper Scioto Watershed, releasing the findings at the end of 2024. The assessment results establish a baseline of adoption for various farming practices in the Upper Scioto Watershed.
This assessment survey is the third in what is an ongoing program by OACI, conducting survey assessments of watersheds around the state and re-surveying each previously surveyed watershed every few years. A follow-up assessment in the Upper Scioto is planned for 2027.
Ohio farmers are encouraged to get involved in OACI’s Farmer Certification program, H2Ohio and any other conservation-focused program to learn about new practices, share information and become better stewards of the land.
H2Ohio initiative
Gov. Mike DeWine launched H2Ohio in 2019 as a comprehensive initiative aimed at addressing various threats to water quality, including harmful algal blooms caused by phosphorus runoff.
H2Ohio’s agricultural program, which initially focused solely on farms located in northwest Ohio near Lake Erie, incentivizes farmers to implement science-based, proven best management practices to prevent nutrient runoff and improve water quality.
In December 2023, Gov. DeWine announced an expansion of H2Ohio to include the H2Ohio Rivers program, a new effort to preserve and protect the health of Ohio’s large rivers. Among other initiatives, the expanded program will give southwest Ohio farmers a new opportunity to enroll in conservation practices.
Since its launch, H2Ohio has seen tremendous support from Ohio farmers. More than 2.2 million acres of farmland are currently enrolled in H2Ohio.
My first recommendation in your journey is to start out with a local farming friend or mentor along with joining an organization like Ohio Farm Bureau.
We’re just so thankful for the Farm Bureau and the foundation for helping put this together. And of course, the Boyert family for the vision they had with this grant. It’s jumping us forward 10 years. It’s unbelievable.
I could not have done it without the resources I have found through Farm Bureau.
It wasn’t until I joined the Wilmington College Collegiate Farm Bureau that I truly saw how my passion could translate into leadership, advocacy and a career.
The issue of property taxation remains as one of the biggest challenges our members face today. Ensuring agricultural property is valued for its agricultural potential and not development is critical to the continued success of Ohio agriculture.
Through the Select Partner program, we became educated in farm insurance and weren't just selling policies. It became more and more clear why farmers need an advocate like Ohio Farm Bureau.
So many of the issues that OFBF and its members are advocating for are important to all Ohioans. I look at OFBF as an agricultural watchdog advocating for farmers and rural communities across Ohio.
Featured Articles
Field Day Podcast with Jordan Hoewischer: Ep. 45 Chris Winslow
Chris Winslow from Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory discusses the status of Lake Erie, legacy phosphorus and other topics as well.
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Field Day Podcast with Jordan Hoewischer: Ep. 44 Aaron Wilson
Aaron Wilson from Ohio State University and the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center talks about short and long-term weather and climate trends and how the super El Niño will affect our region.
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Field Day Podcast with Jordan Hoewischer: Ep. 43 Water Quality Update
Jordan Howeischer, Ohio Farm Bureau director of water quality and research, provides some history on water quality in Ohio and what the industry has accomplished since the 2014 Toledo Water shutdown.
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Ohio Farm Bureau shares farmers’ commitment to water quality in Toledo Blade
In response to an editorial published in Toledo Blade, Ohio Farm Bureau sent a letter sharing the decades-long commitment to conservation by Ohio farmers.
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Ohio Farm Bureau encouraged by results of OACI’s Auglaize River Watershed Assessment Report
The report provides insight into measurable progress in conservation practices and Ohio farmers’ continued commitment to water quality.
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Ohio Farm Bureau applauds results of OACI’s 2026 Assessment Survey Report
The report provides a data-driven look at conservation practices across the Western Lake Erie Basin and emphasizes farmers are doing their part in water quality.
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Ohio Farm Bureau Podcast: Water Quality: Research, Results and the Road Ahead
Jay Martin of Ohio State and Jordan Hoewischer join the podcast to break down the recent research and advocacy efforts helping drive that progress.
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Ohio Farm Bureau fighting for water quality, regulation equity
Ohio EPA has recently proposed allowing data centers to obtain ‘general’ National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for their stormwater/wastewater discharges.
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Demo farms project ends, impactful research endures
The network was established in fall 2015 on farms in Hardin and Hancock counties. Nearly 200 different tours and events took place on the three farms totaling nearly 4,000 visitors in its 10-year span.
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